McCary and Berkman both ran unopposed in the May 2 election and will each serve another three-year term on the board through 2029.
“We appreciate your role in helping lead this district,” Board President Alex Payson said during the meeting.
McCary, the board’s vice president, is an attorney and partner at McCary & McCary, P.C. She has served on the board since 2020 and has been involved with several local organizations and committees, including the Marble Falls Rotary Club and the Highland Lakes Family Crisis Center.
Berkman was first elected to the board in 2014 after a longtime career with MFISD, where he served as head basketball coach for 21 years and helped establish several district and community programs. He later opened a small business and served on the Highland Lakes/Marble Falls Chamber of Commerce Advisory Board.
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Horseshoe Bay is backing Llano County’s move toward countywide voting, a change that would allow residents to cast ballots at any polling location in the county on Election Day instead of being limited to their assigned precinct.
The program is currently used in 96 Texas counties, including neighboring Burnet County, and it allows voters to cast ballots at any polling site within the county rather than having to vote in a designated voting precinct based on the location of your residence.
The current application applies only to the Nov. 3 general election. Under the existing system, voters must cast ballots at their designated precinct polling location on Election Day. The countywide program would remove that restriction, allowing voters to vote at any polling place in Llano County.
After the election, county officials will evaluate voter experience and determine whether to make the program permanent.
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Mormon Mill Nature Park is the newest addition to the public park system of Marble Falls. The city held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the 12-acre green getaway on May 1 amid a torrential downpour, but DailyTrib staff returned during clearer skies to inspect the unique outdoor space.
The new park lies at 2600 Parkview Drive, at the intersection of Parkview and Park Ridge Drive, about a quarter mile from its namesake Mormon Mill Road. It includes a large playground, a half-mile nature trail, bird watching stations, restrooms, a wetlands preserve, picnic areas, open fields, and untouched wild spaces. It was designed with nature, and meeting the wants of the community, in mind.
Mormon Mill Nature Park has about a half mile of trails that cut through the natural landscape of northeast Marble Falls. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey
“I hope the park does exactly what we heard from citizens during the public meetings for the project — enhance people’s ability to enjoy the natural elements of the space while also adding convenient amenities and fun elements for kids,” said Marble Falls Parks and Recreation Director Lacey Dingman in a written response to questions from DailyTrib.com.
Dingman explained that the park had been in the works since at least 2016, with a solid vision forming between 2022 and 2024 as the city held community stakeholder meetings that informed the end-result design of the park.
“We received feedback through two dedicated public design meetings, surveys, Parks and Recreation Commission meetings, and additional joint Parks and Recreation Commission and City Council meetings,” Dingman said. “The community provided thoughtful input on everything from playground equipment and trail materials to parking and accessibility.”
In the end, the park was built for around $1.5 million, with $726,207 coming from a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department grant and the remainder coming from city funds.
The Playscape
While Mormon Mill Nature Park has a standard playground and swings, it also has other unique equipment.
The most striking feature of the park’s playscape is the cluster of large, green, gourd-shaped structures suspended above the ground. They are hollow and have ropes hanging from inside, offering a challenging climbing experience for kids.
A young visitor to Mormon Mill Nature Park climbs inside a unique, gourd-shaped climbing feature. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey
Meadowlakes resident Corey Unrein was visiting the park with her young sons when DailyTrib visited on May 13. Her seven-year-old and two-year-old were hard at work, climbing in and out of the gourds on the day.
“We were really excited for another outdoor park and a new space for kids to play,” she told DailyTrib. “I think it’s great, it’s a different style of park than we have in Marble Falls. My kids love to climb and jump and this gives them ample opportunities to do that.”
There is also a large climbing net, artificial turf, and a series of platforms that emit different musical tones as they are stepped on.
Nature
The park sits on 12 acres, and most of that is undeveloped, but that means that there is an abundance of wildlife, wildflowers, and green space that are all relatively accessible to visitors.
A wide open wetland space was intentionally left intact at Mormon Mill Nature Park to nurture habitat for wildlife and retain soil moisture. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey
Dingman said that one of her favorite aspects of the park was the half-mile walking trail system that blends in with the natural character of the land.
The partially-paved walking trail winds around a wide open patch of wetlands that was left intact throughout construction, with the intention of inviting birds and other animals to the site while retaining soil moisture for the landscape. It then weaves through a thicket of native trees, shrubs, and flowers before remerging on the other side of the park.
Informative signage lines the trail system, helping visitors identify birds, flowers, trees, and more that they may see on the jaunt.
One of the Mormon Mill Nature Park information panels makes bird identification easy. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey
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The Burnet Consolidated Independent School District seated a new board trustee and reaffirmed an incumbent trustee during its Monday, May 18, meeting. The district also swore in the chief of its own newly-established police department.
The board’s new trustee, Amber Cardenas, was elected to replace outgoing Place 3 trustee Suzanne Brown. Place 7 incumbent Mark Kincaid was similarly elected to serve another term in his seat. Both candidates ran unopposed on the May 2 ballot, and were subsequently elected to their respective positions immediately following the election.
The new board also reappointed Earl Foster, Angela Moore, and Kincaid to their positions as president, vice president, and secretary respectively.
Prior to the certification of the trustees, Superintendent Dr. Aaron Peña recognized outgoing trustee Brown’s service to the district, which she joined in 2017.
“Suzanne joined the BCISD Board of Trustees in May 2017, bringing not only professional experience and leadership, but also the perspective of a deeply-invested parent and community member,” Dr. Peña said. “She consistently kept students at the center of every conversation and decision.”
New Burnet Consolidated Independent School District Chief of Police Dewayne Kyle (left) is sworn in during the May 18 board meeting. Staff photo by Caden Senn
At the same meeting, Dewayne Kyle was sworn in as the district’s first-ever chief of police. BCISD began laying the groundwork for its own police department in March 2025 and hired Kyle as its chief of security at the time.
Chief Kyle is the former chief of police for the city of Bertram, and brings 40 years of law enforcement experience to the district.
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The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles (TBPP) is reviewing two tampering with evidence convictions given to Kyler Nathaniel Allen, one of two suspects arrested in the 2023 Tow shooting deaths of a father and his son, for the possibility of serving his sentence under parole.
The 22-year-old pleaded guilty to two tampering charges, one which stemmed from the 2023 double homicide, on April 30 after accepting a plea deal. As part of that deal, Allen was given two eight-year sentences to be served concurrently.
Upon reviewing the case, the TBPP will decide whether or not to allow Allen to serve the remainder of his sentence in the community under supervision from a parole officer.
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice sent notice to DailyTrib of the TBPP’s review and noted that these case reviews are typically completed within two to six months from the date of notification (May 18), but could take longer.
The notice also stated that those affected by the crime were welcome to submit letters to the TBPP to better inform its decision on granting parole. Letters may be emailed to victim.svc@tdcj.texas.gov or mailed to TDCJ Victim Services Division, and should include the case number (SID# 19666963).
Another condition of Allen’s plea deal permanently opened the door for the court to refile charges against Allen for his suspected role in the 2023 homicides. He was initially charged with two counts of capital murder in that case, but, according to 33rd/424th District Attorney Perry Thomas, those charges were dropped on April 30 based on current evidence.
The jury assessed a sentence of 75 years for the murder of 14-year-old Evan Wessling, and a sentence of 70 years for the murder of 38-year-old Preston Wessling. These sentences will run concurrently, which means that Ostrander will serve up to 75 years, as both sentences will be served at the same time.
Background
Ostrander and Allen were each charged with capital murder of multiple persons for their alleged involvement in the Jan. 14, 2023, shooting deaths of Wessling and his son, Evan, at a home on Airport Road in Tow.
Llano County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a 911 call at 4:49 a.m. on Jan. 14 about multiple gunshot victims at a home on Airport Road in Tow. The father and son were found lying in the driveway with gunshot wounds and were declared dead at the scene.
Ostrander and Allen were arrested by Texas Rangers, Texas Department of Public Safety troopers, and Guadalupe County sheriff’s deputies two days later and were held in multiple county jails without bond while awaiting trial.
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Horseshoe Bay has officially begun the search for a new police chief following the resignation of Police Chief Jason Graham in April. Paul Nelson, assistant chief since June 2024, is serving as acting police chief in the interim until a permanent chief is found.
City Council approved during its May 19 meeting to hire the Texas Police Chiefs Association to conduct an organizational assessment, assist with recruitment, and provide leadership transition support in the search. The contract is expected to cost about $22,000 and take 30 to 60 days.
The Texas Police Chiefs Association will evaluate department operations, policies and internal culture, establish performance criteria for the incoming chief and assist with recruiting duties, including advertising the position, reviewing applications, evaluating candidates and making recommendations.
City Manager Jeff Koska said the goal is to give the new leader a clear understanding of the department’s strengths and challenges while preserving institutional knowledge. He said the approach is modeled after the city’s 2023 search for a fire chief.
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The Marble Falls High School Theatre program took home gold on Monday, May 18, in the 2026 UIL 4A One Act Play State Championship. This was the troupe’s first ever state championship win.
The Mustangs earned their first-place finish with their performance of “The Collective” by Jean Betts. The team took the stage on Monday night at the Austin Independent School District Performing Arts Center, facing off against performances from the other seven 4A state qualifiers.
Marble Falls actor Cameron Newell was also named best performer and outstanding performer of all the 4A state performances.
Marble Falls High School actor Cameron Newell was named best performer and most outstanding performer of all the 4A state competition. Photo courtesy of UIL
“Congratulations to the cast and crew of Marble Falls High School Theatre on an outstanding production of The Collective!,” reads a statement issued by the Marble Falls Independent School District. “Way to bring home the state championship to Marble Falls!”
The Mustangs’ win brings an end to a stellar season, with top performances at the district, bi-district, and regional levels leading up to state competition. The MFHS troupe has been on a roll for years, with 10 straight appearances in the playoffs and nine straight at regionals, four consecutive wins at regionals, and taking home silver in the 2025 UIL One Act Play 4A State Championship.
State champion cast
Bert: Cameron Newell
Bea/Helen/Mother Courage: Nina Garcia
Marilouise/Grete/Ensemble: Addison Dehorty
Bess: Elsa Vandiford
Ruth/Ensemble: Brixton Osloond
Lottie/Olga/Cathy: Raney Watson
Felix/Theatre Manager/Official 1/Heini: Evan Puga
Kurt/Ensemble: James Lawrence
Boy 3/Ensemble: Santiago Gaytan
Boy 2/Ensemble: Jayden Jayne
Official 2/Ensemble: Garrett Baertich
Marie/Heidi/Ensemble: Vivian Warren
Ensemble: Raul Moran
Jack the Ripper/Ensemble: Caylie Garay
Ensemble: Vivian Melton
Ensemble: Jennie Lynn Gage
Ensemble: Lance Rutland
State champion crew
Anthony Ruiz
Abby Kent
Ashlyn Gibbons
State champion directors
Jon Clark
Jordan Jones
Adam Goodman
dakota@thepicayune.com
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High school seniors across the Highland Lakes are prepping to cross the stage at graduation. Below are the dates, times, and locations of the commencement ceremonies taking place this week.
Times and locations are subject to change due to the possibility of impending inclement weather.
WHERE: Mustang Stadium, 2101 Mustang Drive in Marble Falls
editor@thepicayune.com
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Llano police are investigating the destruction of the Llano Trinket Box, a communal cupboard created by a local high school student to help share small treasures among the city’s residents. The recent vandalism has drawn considerable scrutiny, as the perpetrators are believed to have left a desecrated Israeli flag at the scene.
Llano High School student Kiley Sanders set up the Llano Trinket Box in the Llano Railyard District in early May. The box was open to the public, but on private property. Inside were several trinkets that could be taken and then replaced with other items by visitors.
“The reason I made this box is because I felt like Llano needed to have something fun for everyone,” Sanders wrote to DailyTrib in a response to questions. “I spent months on this project collecting trinkets and trying to make the box perfect.”
The box was reportedly smashed to pieces on the night of May 12.
Sanders shared a post on the Lake LBJ Broadcast Facebook page after discovering the remains of the box on May 13. In her post, she included photos of the vandalism, which showed an Israeli flag beside the pieces of the box. The flag appeared to have been burned. It also had the word “Die” written on it, and a swastika drawn on it. That post has since been removed.
Sanders said that she plans on putting up a new box.
“The box wasn’t up for a week before it got ruined,” she said. “But I won’t let a negative person ruin everyone’s fun.”
According to Llano Police Chief John Bauer, his department is looking into the vandalism as a criminal mischief case, but also investigating the possibility of a hate crime due to the inclusion of the Israeli flag.
“We aren’t taking this lightly,” he told DailyTrib. “If this is a prank or joke or trying to get even, this isn’t the correct way. That message has a lot of power behind it that can affect a lot of people in our community.”
Bauer explained that he and his investigators have identified persons of interest in the case and believe they could be high schoolers motivated by personal conflicts, and that the flag desecration could have been done for shock value.
“I would encourage family members to maybe speak to their kids about this topic,” he said. “Kids see these things on social media and don’t understand the gravity they have.”
Criminal mischief is normally a class C misdemeanor when the vandalism is valued at a loss less than $100, with a punishment of up to $500, but that charge and punishment could be increased if it is determined that it was a hate crime, or committed because of bias or prejudice.
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